Protector
by Gyaradosmaster
Summary: ('I'm not like them. I'm not good enough to protect her. Protect the person most important to me.' Allen clenched his fists in frustration.) Academia troops might no longer threaten Heartland, but Allen still has worries regarding a certain girl. AllenxSayaka


So I was working on the next chapter of my Dimensional Duels fanfic (totally not a plugin) when I got this idea and I just had to write it. There's barely any stories about these guys so I thought I could contribute.

As per usual, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V! I hope you enjoy!

...

 _''I activate Superdreadnought Rail Cannon Gustav Max's effect! By detaching an overlay unit, I deal 2000 damage to my opponent!'' An incredibly large cannon took aim at one of the Obelisk Force members and fired, depleting the rest of his life points. ''Next I'll attack directly with Gustav Max, finish him off!'' The cannon changed target to another, yet identical looking duelist and fired again, dropping his life points to 0 as well. With the third one already defeated, this group of Obelisk Force members was dealt with and Allen's monster disappeared. ''Whew...'' Allen panted heavily as he tried to catch his breath. It was difficult to do many duels in a row, but he had to do it, he didn't have a choice. If he didn't then..._

 _''Allen...'' Allen glanced at the girl behind him, a girl with a very scared and nervous look on her face. ''I...I can duel. You don't have to keep pushing yourself...'' She was ready to activate her duel disk, but her hands kept on shaking. Allen turned around to face her and grab her hand._

 _''No it's...it's fine. You don't have to get involved. I'll keep on protecting you, Sayaka.'' Allen tried to make a strong face, but the exhaustion was obviously getting to him. His movements were slower and heavier, his posture off and his eyes unfocused. ''I won't let these guys get to you.'' He managed a thumbs up at least. Sayaka smiled for a bit and it looked like she was about to say something when her eyes widened in horror._

 _''Ancient Gear Chaos Giant, direct attack!''_

 _''Crap!'' Allen turned around, but it was too late, the all-devasting laser of the death machine known as Chaos Giant had hit him and sent him flying. As it happened, he saw a purple beam hit Sayaka, engulfing her in purple light until there was nothing left, but a single card that floated to the ground. Obelisk Force walked in closer and grabbed the card from the ground._

 _''How pathetic.'' The member who had picked up the card said and with a sickening grin...ripped the card in half._

 _''Sayaka...SAYAKA!''_

''SAYAKA!'' Allen jumped awake with a yell, cold sweat pouring down his neck and back as he breathed hard and heavy. People sleeping close to him grunted a bit, with some changing their sleeping position, but no one seemed to wake up. ''Just a dream...'' Allen put his right hand on his chest, feeling his heart beat frantically. It took a few seconds, but it eventually calmed down and returned to its normal pace. Allen looked at the clock that was on a nearby wall. ''2:30 AM...'' Well, he didn't have any motivation to go to sleep at this time, might as well get up and walk around for a moment. He rubbed his eyes and looked at his surroundings.

He was sleeping in The Duel Lodge, which doubled as Resistance's current base of operations after the previous one was destroyed completely. All around him were Resistance members sleeping on mattresses, sleeping bags and couches, but they weren't the only people sleeping there. ''Academia...'' He never thought he would see the day, but there were Academia duelists and Resistance members sleeping peacefully side by side. Looking to the corner of the room, he could see Gloria and Grace Tyler sleeping on the same mattress, Grace holding onto her elder sister, and under the clock slept Mamoru Noro, mumbling something in his sleep. Even Edo Phoenix was there, but he had opted to sleep on the ground, away from the others. But no matter how much he looked, he couldn't see Sayaka in the room. ''She must still be in that room...'' Allen maneuvered around the numerous sleeping platforms to get to the side of the room and he walked over to the door with a red cross on it.

He opened the door, which due to its old age creaked a bit, and entered the room. There were more beds there, all with white sheets, but only one of them was occupied. ''Shun...'' Allen looked at his comrade who seemed to be sleeping peacefully, but he knew that Shun must still be in pain from his injuries. And having fallen asleep on the chair next to him, was the person he had been looking for. ''Sayaka...'' She even had her glasses still on, which she normally removed when sleeping. ''She must've been really worried about Shun.'' Allen clenched his fist for a moment and looked away. It wasn't right of him to feel mad about that. He was worried about Shun too after all. Allen reached for Sayaka's shoulder and just when he was about to touch it...the image of Sayaka getting carded in his dream flashed in his mind and he took his hand away.

''What am I doing?'' And more importantly, what would he have even said to her? I had a nightmare and wanted to know if you were okay? Sorry about failing to protect you from the Tyler sisters? I have had a crush on you for the longest time? Allen laughed hollowly at the last one. Like he would ever tell her that, there was no way she would ever feel the same way about him. Not when Kaito and Shun were around. He moved his gaze from Sayaka back to Shun and sighed. ''No seriously, what am I doing?'' Allen turned around and left the room, not wanting to deal with his emotions right now. The clock was still just 2:40 and he wasn't feeling any more sleepy or tired than 10 minutes ago. Seeing no other option, he decided to head outside.

It was late spring and there was no wind so the air outside wasn't all that chilly, allowing Allen to walk around in his usual clothes without getting cold. He walked over to a flight of stairs that lead all the way down to Heartland and looked down with a deep frown.

 _''C'mon Sayaka, hurry up!'' Allen yelled to his friend who was few stairs lower than him._

 _''Easy for you to say with those rollerblades of yours...'' Sayaka said while panting, making Allen sheepishly glance down at the device on his feet. ''Why do you want to climb up here anyway?'' And why were there so many stairs?_

 _''You'll see, just climb up.'' Allen said and made his way back to Sayaka, taking her hand and pulling her behind him. Sayaka looked at their intertwined hands, then at Allen's face and blushed slightly. Few seconds and stairs later, they were at the top of hill that housed the Duel Lodge. ''Now, look at that.'' Allen turned to where they had come from. Sayaka turned as well and gasped._

 _''Wow...'' They could see almost all of Heartland from here, sparkling lights, distant Duel Monster holograms, colours of brightest yellow, blue, green and red and even some spotlights in the sky. ''So pretty...'' She didn't know a view like this even existed._

 _''Tell me about it.'' Allen said, but he wasn't looking at the city. He was looking at her._

There was no wonderful sight like that left anymore. Heartland was nothing, but rubble, ruined buildings and destruction everywhere. It would take years of reconstruction until he could show Sayaka the same sight again. ''She probably doesn't even remember it...'' The invasion and Ruri's kidnapping had traumatized her so badly, not to mention that it was before they met Shun or Kaito. ''And why should she? I'm not like them. I'm not good enough to protect her. Protect the person most important to me.'' Allen clenched his fists in frustration.

''Allen.'' Allen froze when he heard a voice call his name from behind. It was a male's voice, a bit distant and cold despite the owner being a nice guy. Allen turned around and saw an 18-year old boy with blonde hair and a dark outfit.

''Kaito...'' Not exactly the person he wanted to see, but it was better than Sayaka hearing everything he had said so far. ''Sorry, did I wake you up?'' Allen looked away from him. Kaito's expression remained neutral.

''For someone apologizing, you don't sound that sorry.'' Kaito walked a bit closer to him as Allen turned away completely. ''I was already up, but I did hear you yell Sayaka's name.'' Kaito was now standing next to him, overseeing the same sight of ruin that Allen was. ''What's wrong?'' It was only because Allen knew Kaito so well that he could detect a hint of concern there.

''...I had a nightmare. It's nothing serious.'' Allen was about to walk away when Kaito grabbed his arm in a firm grip that Allen couldn't shake his arm free of.

''If it wasn't serious, why would you visit Sayaka and Shun? Why would you go outside?'' Allen grit his teeth, he hadn't realized that Kaito had been watching the entire time. ''Tell me. You know me and Shun are always here for you and Saya...'' That did it.

''It's you two that are the problem!'' Allen yelled, surprising Kaito so much that he let go of him. Allen realized he could just run off right now, but now that he got the first sentence out, he had to get the rest out of his chest. ''It's because of you two that Sayaka...that she...that she doesn't see me as anything other than a friend!'' Allen yelled, followed by a few deep breaths as Kaito stayed silent, waiting for him to tell more. ''After...after Shun and Yuto had left for Standard and you had started your own crusade against Academia...I protected Sayaka from them. I went with her everywhere and whenever we encounted Academia students, I took care of them. I made sure she wouldn't have to fight against those monsters. But despite everything that i did...'' Kaito was shocked to see small tears forming in Allen's eyes. ''Everyday, everyday I had to hear this!''

 _''I wonder if Shun is okay...''_

 _''We should go talk to Kaito one more time.''_

 _''If only Kaito and Shun were here..._

''It's like it didn't even matter that I was there protecting her. All I got was an occasional thanks and 'are you okay'. It's not that I didn't appreciate that, but I was hoping that by protecting her I would...she would...we would...'' Allen's fists shook by his side, his gaze downcast. Kaito took all of this in and sighed.

''Have you ever thought that she didn't need protecting?'' Allen's eyes widened in shock and looked up at Kaito. ''Or have you thought how she would feel about being protected? Would she appreciate it...or think that you have no faith in her dueling skills?'' Allen gasped under his breath and looked back away from the older boy.

''It's not that I don't have faith in her, I know she can duel. But Academia is a different thing! If she would have lost, she would have gotten carded and if that were to happen I...''

''You would be heartbroken and then consumed by rage and anger likes of which you have never felt before.'' Kaito said very bluntly and Allen realized what he was talking about. ''At least, that's what I felt like when Haruto was carded.'' Kaito clenched his fists, mimicking Allen's action. ''I couldn't think straight, I couldn't forgive Academia. All I could do was my duel with all of my rage and fury.'' Kaito unclenched his fist and looked up to the starry sky and at the full moon. ''Even now, I still haven't forgiven them and I can't imagine I ever fully will.'' Kaito turned back around to face Allen, the traces of his tears still visible on his cheeks. ''How about you? Had Sayaka been carded, what would you have done?''

''...'' Allen was quiet for a moment. It wasn't something he liked to think about, but...''I wouldn't even let the ones in the Duel Lodge sleep there.'' They might have turned, but in a scenario that they would have carded Sayaka...he could never forgive them.

''I suppose that's the difference between family love...and love you feel for the person most important to you.'' Kaito said and Allen stayed quiet, much to Kaito's surprise. ''You're not denying it?'' Talking about emotions wasn't quite Allen's forte after all.

''I already told you so much, what would be the point? All I ask is that you don't tell her.''

''I had no intention to. This is something you should tell her yourself.'' Kaito's suggestion was followed by Allen chuckling hollowly again.

''I can already tell what's going to happen. I tell her and she tells me, in that shy yet adorable voice of hers...''

 _''Sorry Allen, but...but I just don't feel the same way. And I already like someone else. Sorry...but we can still be friends.''_

''She would let me down easy, not realizing that kindess and selflessness is why I gained feelings for her in the first place!'' Allen ran his hand through his hair in frustration. ''All because I can't compare to you tw...'' Allen's sentence was interrupted by Kaito's fist connecting with his face. The punch wasn't that hard, but it was unexpected, so Allen was knocked to the ground.

''Don't give me that crap!'' Kaito yelled, not letting Allen get a word in. ''You think it's our fault...or even Sayaka's fault that she might not feel the same way?! You have been so obsessed with protecting her that you failed to realize that she's braver than you!''

''What...'' Allen couldn't find any other words.

''She was the one who stopped me from carding Shun, she admitted to everyone how she had been blaming herself for Ruri's kidnapping, she left alone to try and find me to convince me and she chose on her own to face off against the Tylers. While all you have done is shelter her, hoping that one day she would think of you as someone else besides overbearing, overprotective and desperate friend. It's pathetic!'' Allen's gaze had went downcast again, his hair covering his eyes so Kaito couldn't read his expression. He hoped that his words would trigger something in Allen.

''All I...all I wanted was her to be safe...'' Was that...was that really that wrong?

''If you want her to be safe, then stop treating her like a baby. Let her duel, let her get experience. Have you ever stopped to wonder what would have happened to her if you had gotten carded?'' Allen shook his head weakly, having never wanted to imagine that sort of scenario. ''She would have so little battlefield experience that she wouldn't last long. Had you let her fight with you, as equals, then she would have stood a fighting chance even without you there. As it was, all you did was prolong her eventual carding and had Yuya and the others not showed up...'' Kaito let Allen's imagination do the rest.

Allen thought back to their duel with the Amazoness sisters. How they lost and would have been carded had it not been for the interference of Yuya's friends. Sayaka was nervous and scared during that duel...was it because of combat inexperience? Was it...his fault? ''I'm sorry!'' He wasn't sure to exactly who he was saying that to or what he was apologizing about, he just had to say it.

''You don't have to apologize to me. Knowing how kind and forgiving Sayaka is, you don't necessarily have to apologize to her either. Realizing you have made a mistake is the most important part.'' Kaito said and closed his eyes, thinking about all the people he carded. He really was no better than Academia when he did that and had he carded Shun...he wouldn't be able to forgive himself. ''I also don't think you need to be worried about Shun or me when it comes to Sayaka's feelings.'' Allen finally looked back in Kaito's eyes, having spent the last few moments staring at the ground.

''Why not? She talks about you two so highly...''

''Just trust me. At the very least, you can be sure that neither me nor Shun have romantic feelings for her.'' Kaito could tell more, but he would be betraying Sayaka's trust if he did.

 _''How is he feeling?'' Kaito asked when he entered the first-aid room, where Sayaka was watching over Shun. Clcok was 20:00, more than six hours before Allen would wake up from his nightmare._

 _''He has stopped grunting in pain in his sleep so I think he'll be okay.'' Sayaka said as she looked over her shoulder at the older male, who sat down on the chair next to her. They sat in silence for a while, shooting worried glances at their sleeping comrade, until Sayaka spoke up. ''...What do you think Allen thinks of me?'' Kaito hadn't expected her to ask something like that and he wondered how to answer._

 _''Why are you asking that so suddenly?'' Kaito answered with a question, making Sayaka look to the side, away from him and Shun._

 _''It's just that...in our duel with the Tyler sisters, I messed up pretty badly and then later, Shun got injured because of me. I can't imagine his opinion on me is all that high.'' Sayaka's eyes were half-closed, signs of tiredness and sadness._

 _''Why is this opinion about you so important?'' Kaito asked, still unable to think of anything else to say, besides questions._

 _''It's because...it's because I want to prove myself to him!'' Sayaka suddenly raised her voice, which was quite uncommon for the shy girl. ''He's been protecting me for all this time, so I want to become stronger so I can protect him in turn. When I see how you and Shun are fighting, it makes me want to be a better person and duelist as well, for Allen's sake. So that one day he can look at me and think of me as someone he could...'' Sayaka turned quiet as words failed her, but the red on her cheeks told Kaito how she had planned to end that sentence._

 _''So that's why you're so worried about today's events...'' Sayaka nodded and they enjoyed another few seconds of silence. ''Allen learned to accept Yuya despite his distrust of him, I don't think he's going to hold a grudge against you because of today.''_

 _''I want to believe that, but...'' Sayaka then shook her head, not wanting negative thoughts to consume her. The threat of Academia had practically vanished, she should be happier! ''Kaito, can you promise not to mention this to Allen? I want him to recognize my skills...and my feelings on his own accord.'' Sayaka looked Kaito in the eyes with such a determined look that he could hardly believe it was her._

 _''Of course.'' Kaito tugged on the red scarf on his arm. ''Resistance never tells secrets to anyone.''_

Kaito smiled a little. Since when had he become a guide and almost matchmaker for these two? Well, he supposed someone had to fill that role since their parents were...

''Fine, I believe you. ...And I promise not to be so overprotective of Sayaka anymore.''

''I think you're already getting there, since you actually let her duel against the Tylers.'' Kaito said and all of the sudden Allen blushed, making Kaito raise an eyebrow.

''Oh that? She...she just had this look that made it really hard to say no. You know...'' Allen rubbed his neck a bit while laughing nervously, making Kaito smile a bit further.

''I do.'' Not with any girls of course, but Haruto was quite good at persuading him. ''Allen, I'll be going with Yuya and the others to Academia. Someone has to be there for Ruri when Shun can't.'' Kaito said and Allen realized that arguing about it was pointless. Kaito was determined to save Ruri for his greatest rival and friend.

''Okay, I'll...I mean, me and Sayaka will hold down the fort until you're back with Ruri. We'll trust you to get her back...for Yuto's sake as well.'' Just like Sayaka was most important person to him, Ruri was the most important person to Yuto, maybe even more so.

''I won't let you guys down, not again. Now, let's get some sleep.'' Kaito said and Allen nodded. They both headed back inside to the Duel Lodge and once inside, Kaito went to a separate room to sleep.

''Alright...'' Allen said. He was going to sleep, but there was one thing he wanted to first. He walked over to the first aid room where Shun and Sayaka were still sleeping, completely undisturbed. He got closer to Sayaka, very close to her face and...he removed her glasses. ''There.'' He then placed them on the desk nearby, making sure that Sayaka wouldn't accidentaly knock them off when she woke up. ''Good night Sayaka.'' He said and left the room, not seeing the small smile that crept to the sleeping girl's face.

...

Well that was that. Hopefully no one was out-of-character. It's always a worry when writing about characters who don't appear as much. That's what happens when you give Xyz dimension only 12 episodes!

As a side-note, does AllenxSayaka even have a shipping name? It probably does, almost everything does.

Review if you liked, review if you didn't like! Now if you excuse me, I'll continue being sick.


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